Skittles: Poor on Purpose (Stream)

Another great project from Manchester favourite, Skittles, as he treats us to his latest album, Poor on Purpose. Thanks to his work in MCR over the years, including some stunning material as part of LEVELZ, Skittles has built up a sturdy and much-deserved following as well as props from his peers across the country. Poor on Purpose serves as am ideal snapshot of how he reached that level including his versatility on the mic, with his intricate flows effortlessly lacing a wide range of beats – including a very Manny-centric story in the form of Zeeko II. Skittles has some assistance on a few tracks, thanks to appearances from DRS, Fox, Truthos, Frisko and Think Tonk. Poor on Purpose is available to stream in full below and you can find physicals/downloads over on Bandcamp, complete with a very special vinyl presentation.

LEVELZ: Rainy Day (LVL 50)

I took a break over the festive/festering season so I’ve got a hell of a lot to catch up on. Let’s start with the latest release from one of Manchester’s more boisterous collectives, LEVELZ, as they return with Rainy Day (LVL 50). The track features vocal work from Chimpo, Fox, Skittles and Sparkz, plus production from Metrodome and Bricks. Rainy Day is available to download now via Bandcamp.

LEVELZ: Respect Respect (LVL 44)

The Manchester collective return with their latest single, accompanied by a great illustrated and animated video. The MCs on board this time round are comprised of Chunky, Fox, Skittles, Truthos, Sparkz, T-Man and Chimpo, with production being handled by Metrodome, Chunky, Bricks and Skittles. There are also downloads available via Bandcamp. The animation comes courtesy of Stemfour Visual.

LEVELZ: Reach For The Sky

Kickstart your Monday with the new video from LEVELZ. Reach For The Sky is a lot more subdued than their last single, Front Face, with Fox, Skittles, Chunky, T-Man and Truthos Mufasa dropping their bars over a nice live bass-laced beat from Metrodome, Bricks and Skittles. The bass comes courtesy of Ben Price, who you may know from his work with Jenna & the G’s. The video was shot on location in India. You can get a free download of the track via Bandcamp.

The Mouse Outfit ft. IAMDDB & Fox: I Wonder

Beautiful new song from The Mouse Outfit. I Wonder features local connects IAMDDB and their regular sparring partner, Fox. The track was produced by Chini and Metrodome. The Mouse Outfit are on tour very soon, so keep an eye out for them passing through your town; always a good show.

The Mouse Outfit ft. Fox, Sparkz, Jman & T-Man: 007

A new video for one of the more infectious tracks from the latest album by The Mouse Outfit. Featuring no less than Fox, Sparkz, Jman and T-Man, as well as a lovely reggae/ska vibe to the whole thing, 007 is one of my favourites so far from the Manchester collective. The lyric video was made by Stemfour.

The Mouse Outfit ft. Sparkz & Fox: Sip a Little Bit of Rum

Good vibes in the latest video from the Mouse Outfit, as they bring some visual clarity to Sip a Little Bit of Rum. Featuring frequent collaborators Sparkz and Fox, who are both on fine form, the track is produced by Pitch. It is available to buy now, as well as the full album, over at Bandcamp.